Changeable profile toys



July 24, 1956 E. GREENSFELDER CHANGEABLEI PROFILE TOYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 30, 1953 IN VENTOR Ema? L. GIPEE/KSFELDE/P,

ATTORNEYS July 24, 1956 E. GREENSFELDER CHANGEABLE PROFILE TOYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1953 INVENTOR CHANGEABLE PROFILE TOYS Elmer Greensfelder, Provincetown, Mass.

Application November 30, 1953, Serial No. 395,191

12 Claims. (CI. 40-28) This invention relates to changeable profile toys and the like and aims generally to improve the same.

Among the objects of the invention, severally and interdependently, are the provision of a changeable profile device of simple and effective construction, amusing to the young and the old, easily operated, having very few parts, easy and cheap to assemble, and practically impossible to get out-of-order.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of illustrative embodiments of the invention.

The invention resides in the novel changeable profile device and in the several features and combinations thereof hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings of illustrative embodiments of the invention:

Fig. l is a front elevation of one embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows, the internal discs being shown in elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a disassembled View of said embodiment with the cover removed; while Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are corresponding views of a still simpler embodiment; and

Fig. 7a and 7b illustrate a further modification.

In the form shown in Figs. 13, the changeable image exhibitor is arranged to show a variety of silhouettes in profile, and comprises a shallow container or box 10 having a pair of abutment walls 11 and 12 therein, inclined at an angle to each other. Within the container is a means exhibiting a base image. In its simplest form, shown in Fig. 3, this means may be stationary and may comprise a printed area 14 on the box bottom 15. In the form of Figs. 13, this base image 14 is a partial profile of a head or bust and exhibits an incomplete profile in the area between and above the abutment walls 11 and 12 when the angle between said walls is downwardly directed as indicated by the arrow 16 in Fig. 1.

The container 10 houses one or more thin transparent discs 29, 21, 22 loose in the container, and capable of gravitating, when the container is positioned with the angle between its abutment walls 11, 12 downwardly directed, to positions predetermined by said abutment walls, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

The base image exhibiting means 14 as is apparent from Fig. 3, is so located as to position the base image to be viewable at least in part through transparent portions of the disc or discs 20, 21, 2 and the disc or discs have supplemental image means thereon as best exemplified in Fig. 3, in which the three discs shown bear supplemental image means A, B and C, respectively, the supplemental image means, depending on the rotative orientation of the disc as positioned by the abutment walls 11, 12, combining with the portions of the base image 14 viewed through the disc to produce a viewable composite image, as eX- emplified in Fig. 1.

tates Patent 2,755,577 Patented July 24, 1956 composite image 14 ABC, is viewable through the window 24 as shown in Fig. 1. Any suitable means may be employed for securing the window in place and for temporarily or permanently securing the cover 23 to the con tainer 10. When the box or container 10, Figs. 1 and 2, and the cover 23 are formed of cardboard with a glazed paper printed surfacing sheet adhesively secured thereon, the window transparency may be embraced between the surface sheet and the cardboard sheet of the cover 23, and the glazed paper may either be folded around the edges of the cover and adhesively secured to its inner side walls, with adhesive applied between the side walls of the container and cover to secure the cover in place (see Fig. 5 or the glazed paper, at two sides of the container, may be left free and be folded over on and adhesively secured to the underside of the container 10 as shown at 24, in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the arrangement just described the discs are preferably of regular geometric form, and desirably of circular form, so as to have as many positions of rotation as possible as determined by the walls 11 and 12, and the base image 14 simulates a faceless head in side elevation, with its chin area spaced from the abutment walls 11, 12 by a distance corresponding roughly to the radius of the smallest disc C, with its upper lip, nose and lower forehead area spaced therefrom by a distance roughly corresponding to the radius of the disc 21, and with its upper forehead and hair area spaced from the walls 11, 12 by a distance roughly corresponding with the radius of the disc 20. The supplemental image C carried by the small disc 22, when positioned by the abutment walls, thus projects beyond the base image profile in the lower jaw area thereof and contributes variable chin features thereto, as receding, double-, protruding, or goateed-chin configurations, for example. The supplemental image B, like the other supplemental images, comprises a continuous outline when a circular disc is employed, such outline defining a series of radially reentrant and radially protruding areas, a given reentrant area being adapted alternatively to simulate the nostril area in certain positions of the disc, and the nose-bridge area in others. The protruding areas of the supplementary image B, when extending more or less horizontally from the base image, simulate various shapes of noses, and when extending nearly downwardly, simulate various upper lip shapes, and when extending upwardly, simulate various brow shapes. In addition, in the form shown, the supplementary image B comprises one or more relatively narrow generally radial protrusions from adjacent portions of the image B, that in certain positions may simulate a mustache or buck-tooth and in other positions may simulate an eyearea feature, as an eye-brow, or a spectacle silhouette as in Fig. 1.

In the form of Figs. l-3 the third disc 20, which is larger than the other two, has a supplementary image A thereon the outline of which, as shown in Fig. 3, is smooth in part, serrated or wavy in other parts, and upstanding lockor horn-shaped in still another part. Thus this supplemental image, when positioned by the abutment walls, projects beyond the base image profile in the crown area thereof, and contributes variable forehead and hair features to the composite image. In certain combinations of positions, the three disc form may thus produce a goateed, horned, heavy browed, toothed image representing the popular conception of the devil, while in other combinations the effect may resemble the popular conception of a silhouette containing prominent features regarded as typical of Irish, Jewish, English, hay-seed, low-brow, high-brow, comic and other physiognomi'es.

As each of the discs is capable of coming to rest in an infinite variety of rotative positions, it is clear that an infinite variety of profiles may be obtained by merely shaking the container and stopping such shaking with the arrow 16 pointed downwardly. In this connection, the container is preferably made rectangular, rather than square, because with the rectangular shape, as the discs are thrown upwardly against the wall 25, say, by upwardly shaking the container, they tend to roll upwardly along that wall, and to thus be partially turned, and further, as they fall they tend to roll down the underlying wall, saywall 11, this augmented tendency to turn aiding in producing very marked changes in profile between sucsessively obtained composite images 14 ABC.

Still referring to Figs. l3, it will be observed that in the form shown the largest disc, disc 24), is small enough to. fit loosely and move freely in the container, and that the sum of the diameters of the two smaller discs, discs 21 and 22, is sufiiciently large to prevent any of the discs from dropping intothe same plane with another disc and becoming wedged in edge-to-edge relation, which also insures maintenance of the original order of piling of the discs in the container.

The form of Figs. 4-6 illustrate some of the many modifications that may be made without departing from the principles of the invention, and which may not already be apparent from the description above set forth. In this embodiment parts corresponding to those in Figs. 1-3 are identified with the same reference numerals with the modifier a, except that the composite image is marked CI for brevity.

In this embodiment the base image 14a is formed to exhibit a cap or hat-shaped dome portion, with a brim or visor portion protruding therefrom, and the crownfeature disc A is omitted. Additionally the upper-facial feature disc 21a is provided approximately centrally thereof with a special feature simulating means, herein shown as a representation of an eye in a color contrasting with that of the surrounding portions of the composite image. While this feature may be presented at the central portion of: the disc, a more striking effect is produced by making such central portions transparent, as shown, and providing the base image 14a with an. open area of a color contrasting with the color of the composite image,

capable of showing through the transparent area of the In the form shown in Figs. 4'

supplemental image Be. and 6, the eye feature is not completely symmetrical or circular, but is made semi-circular and interrupted by a pupil simulating portion, and this produces the effect of an eye looking in various directions for different positions of rotation of the disc Zia. may be used, for example, as shown in Figs. 7a and 7b, the base image 141) may carry an open area representing an eye or other feature, in an offset location if desired, and the area of transparency in the supplementary image BI) may belarge enough, or of annular form, to encompass the eye or like feature of the base image 14!).

Fixed or variable color contrast may also be provided for other features of the composite image. For exam ple, in the form of Figs. 4-6, the supplementary images Ba and Ca, in most or if desired in all portions of rotation thereof, do not overlap and exhibit a variable area of the faceless profile of the base image 14a between them in the mouth area. By coloring a portion of the 50' exposed base image area 29 in a color contrasting with that'of the adjacent portion of the composite image (say red when lips are to be represented in a composite image ot'v black or otherwise distinctly different color) as the positions of the supplementary images Ba and Ca expose more':or less'of the colored area 29 varying amounts of colortsay red) will show, ranging from a colored repre- Various arrangements sentation of an open mouth, for example, to a representation of a thin closed-lip simulating portion.

While a human profile has been selected to illustrate the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same principles may be applied to the production of animal and other changeable profile exhibitors, and that the terms profile, feature, eye, chin, forehead, hair, etc., employed in certain of the following claims are to be interpreted accordingly.

While there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

1- claim:

1. A changeable image exhibitor comprising a shallow container having a pair of abutment walls inclined at an angle to-each other; means within the container exhibiting a base image; a thin, transparent disc loose in the container that'rotatesand gravitates, when the container is shaken and then positioned with the angle between the two abutment walls of said pair downwardly directed, to a position determined by simultaneous contact of the disc with each of saidtwo abutment walls; said base image exhibiting means positioning said base image to be viewable at least in part through transparent portions of said disc; said transparent disc having supplementary image means thereon, said supplementary image means, depending on the rotative orientation of the disc as positioned by said abutment walls, combining with the portions of the base image viewed through said disc to produce a variable composite image.

2. A changeable image exhibitor according to claim 1, comprising atleast two of said transparent discs of different diameters loosely superimposed for concurrent simultaneous contact with said two abutment walls; each disc carrying centrally thereof an irregular supplemental image adapted in different orientations of said disc against said abutment walls to supplement the base image with a feature appropriate to the distance thereof from the abutment walls.

3. A- changeable exhibitor'according to claim 1, said disc having a'transparent eye-like area at the central portion thereof, and said base image having an open area positioned to'be seen through said eye-like portion when said disc is positioned against said abutment walls, said open area as viewedthrough said eye-like portion being of a color contrasting with the color of the disc carried' image surrounding said eye-like area.

4. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 1, said disc having a transparent portion at the central portion thereof, and said base image having an open area positioned to be seen through said transparent central portion, said central and-open areas, when superimposed, simulating. a facial feature contrasting with the adjacent areas of the composite image.

5. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 2, said base image simulating a faceless head in side elevation with its faceless profile approximately centrally located between said abutment walls, a portion of the irregular supplemental image of the smaller of said discs, when positioned'by said abutment walls, proiecting beyond said profile in the lower jaw are a thereof and contributing variable chin features to the composite image; and portion of the irregular supplemental image of'a larger one of said discs, when positioned by said abutment walls, projecting beyond said p'ro'fi'le in the upper facial region thereof and contributing variable upper lips, nose ,and brow features to the composite image.-

6. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 5, having three of said loose, rotatable, gravity-positioned, transparent discs; the third of said discs being larger than the other two, and the irregular supplemental image of said third disc, when positioned by said abutment walls, projecting beyond said base image profile in the crown area thereof and contributing variable forehead and hair features to the composite image.

7. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 5, the larger of said first two discs having a transparent area centrally thereof, and said base-image having an open area underlying said central transparent area when said centrally transparent disc is positioned by said abutment walls, said central and open areas, when superimposed, simulating an eye contrasting in color with the adjacent areas of the composite image, the image of the smaller of said discs being confined to an area exposing said eye to view at least in some of the relative positions of said two discs as determined by said abutment Walls.

8. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 5, said base image, in the forehead region of its profile, exhibiting a hat brim simulating projection, said brim simulating projection being covered by a radially outwardly extending portion of the supplemental image of the disc contributing upper facial features to the composite image in at least some positions thereof determined by said abutment walls.

9. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 5, said base image having a portion thereof exposed between said lower jaw and upper facial feature supplemental images in at least some of the positions of said discs determined by said abutment walls, at least a part of the so-exposed portion of said base image being of a color contrasting with the major portions of the base and supplemental image.

10. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 1, the supplementary image on said disc comprising a continuous outline defining a series of radially reentrant and protruding areas, said reentrant areas adapted to alternatively simulate nostril and nose-bridge areas in the composite image depending on the rotative positions of the disc, with the intervening protruding portions alternatively simulating upper lip, nose and forehead areas in the composite image depending on the rotative positions of the disc.

11. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 10, the supplemental image on said disc further comprising at least one relatively narrow radial protrusion from one of the reentrant areas thereof adapted to alternatively simulate a moustache and an eye-area feature depending on the rotative positions of the disc.

12. A changeable exhibitor according to claim 10, said disc being circular and thus capable of being positioned in an infinite number of rotative positions by said abutment walls, said continuous outline forming a composite image with said base image in any of said infinite number of positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,074,533 Schowalter Sept. 30, 1913 1,430,093 Mathews Sept. 26, 1922 1,549,673 Levva Aug. 11, 1925 2,149,779 Kroner Mar. 7, 1939 2,486,981 Rosenthal Nov. 1, 1949 

